Nearly 9,000 additional U.S. troops are heading to the Middle East, a United States official announced Thursday, Oct. 1. The move could position three aircraft carriers in the region by late October.

U.S. President Trump has moved away from the projection he made in March 2026 that the U.S. campaign would only last weeks.

Trump said he rejected Iran’s most recent cease-fire proposal on Saturday, Sept. 26, after talks on the sidelines of the UN Security Council meetings. Trump has also said that new strikes on Iran after the Nov. 3 U.S. midterm elections are possible.

The ships that are en route to the Middle East carry at least 7,000 sailors and 2,000 Marines.
The group of ships include the USS Theodore Roosevelt carrier strike group, and the USS Makin Island amphibious readiness group.

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